Nettle, an all time miracle herb

Following along on some of the good benefits from nettle, especially for your hair, I’d like to add this interesting article about herbs and hair: How you can fight the grey.

Jo Francks M.H.

There are many herbs that have been used as hair rinses. I think the herbal rinse people have been most interested in (from the classes I have taught), is the one to cover/get rid of gray hair. Dr. Christopher promised that if you rinse your hair with yarrow tea two or three times a week, within a year you would have your natural hair color back. That’s quite a promise, so I decided to put it to the test.

In February I started using yarrow tea to rinse my hair. I make a quart of the tea by boiling a quart of distilled water and adding 2 handfuls of dried yarrow leaf then cover and let it steep for 30 minutes. The tea is stored in a quart jar in the fridge and will keep for about a week. It takes about a half cup of tea to rinse the hair after it has been washed and the tea is not rinsed out. A plastic bottle with a squirt lid works well for applying the tea. Squirt it on the head and massage it in to the scalp. I have been using it every day and so far I can tell that I have less gray hair now than I did when I started. The progress has been slow, but it’s the comments from other people that are the biggest clue that it is working. I see my hair every day and so does my family so the change is not as obvious to us. Some of the comments I have heard are “Your hair is getting darker,” and “You’re looking younger and younger all the time.” The best one was when the hair dresser was cutting my hair and said, “Jo you’re really lucky that you don’t have much gray in your hair.” This is enough incentive to keep it up and I even have my husband using it. I’ve also noticed that I’m not losing as much hair.

Not only do herbal teas help to get rid of gray hair, they can also be used to bring out natural highlights:

Chamomile – used to bring out the highlights of blond hair.

Sage – used for darker shades and henna for auburn hair.

Rosemary – good for dark hair and it stimulates the roots to prevent hair falling out and to stimulate new growth/also used to prevent dandruff.

Nettle – also excellent hair tonic and will bring back the natural color of the hair.

“Use as the last rinse when shampooing. Make a cup of the tea by steeping a teaspoonful in a cup of boiling water for thirty minutes. Dip the fingers in and thoroughly massage the scalp. This will cure dandruff. It is well to boil the leaves in vinegar for this purpose.” (Back to Eden, Jethro Kloss, Pg 161).

from March 2010

Nettle happens to be one of my all time favorite herbs. I like it because it is good for so many things that you can care for multiple health concerns with a simpler, minimalist approach.

Discovery Park was always one of my best hunting grounds for young spring nettle when I lived in my cozy Ballard bungalow not far from the locks. I encourage you to get out your gloves, scissors and a brown paper bag and be off to harvest this herbal jewel.

This all came to mind recently when I was in Phoenix visiting a friend. She was complaining about hot flashes and other menopausal discomforts, so I suggested nettle tea.

Phoenix has this great store called “SPROUTS” so we took off to their bulk herb section to get some dried nettle. No matter which way you make it, whether tea, vinegar, or soup, nettle always tastes so green and healthy.

I’ve been a fan of nettle for too many years to count. Many clients I have worked with over the years have given me great feedback on how nettles improved their health and lives.
I hope the additional information I’m including here helps you become a fan too.

Plants with the deepest green give you the most energy. A daily cup of nettle infusion increases energy without wiring your nerves. Nettle strengthens the adrenals, allowing you to tolerate more stress with less harm. And it nourishes your immune system, too. To make it:

* Put one ounce of dried nettle leaf in a quart jar.
* Fill to the top with boiling water.
* Cap tightly and steep at least four hours (overnight is fine).
* Strain and drink.
* Refrigerate the remainder and consume within 36 hours.

More about Nettle from Susun Weed

Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is a common weed throughout much of the world. The dried herb makes a nourishing herbal infusion that packs more energy per cup than any stimulant, and without the downside of caffeine or stimulating herbs like cayenne and ginger. Tired teenagers, sleep-deprived new moms, stressed executives, wakeful menopausal gals, and wise women of all ages depend on stinging nettle to restore mood, replenish energy, and guarantee sound sleep.

There is no denser nutrition found in any plant, not even bluegreen algae; and nettle is much more reasonably priced than any supplement, especially if you buy more than an ounce or two at a time. (Sources of dried herb at good prices are found in my books and at my website.)

But we must consume lots of nettle to get this power-packed nutrition. I infuse a full ounce dried nettle in a quart of water to make a brew that nourishes my ability to think and supports my desire to work. Infusing nettle maximizes its energy-enhancing effects too. Teas, tinctures and capsules of nettle contain too little herb to make a difference in vim and vigor. To experience the miracle of nettle, you’ll need to take the time to make a real infusion.

A student writes: “After drinking a quart of nettle infusion daily for only four days, I now have more energy then my toddler! Now, when he goes to sleep, I get some time to myself, instead of falling asleep with him. I can’t thank you enough for the gift of nettle.”

Nettle builds energy from the inside out by nourishing the adrenals, which I think of as “energy central.” Nettle smoothly and persistently carries optimum nourishment to every cell in the body, and brings a smile to your face. Because the minerals in nettle infusion are polarized to the blood, they are literally magnetized into the blood stream without needing to be digested.

Drinking a glass of cold nettle infusion pumps so much nourishment into the blood; you’ll feelinvigorated in just a few days. Regular use of stinging nettle (I drink 2-3 quarts a week) not only increases energy, it brings a shine and swing to the hair, strengthens fingernails, clears and firms skin, restores elasticity to blood vessels, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, counters incontinence, improves digestion, reduces cancer risk, and strengthens the lungs.

Another student writes: “My doctor is astonished. He insisted that I had to take drugs to deal with my severe osteoporosis. Instead, I drank two quarts of nettle infusion a week for several years. According to my latest bone scan, I now–at the age of 67–have the bone mass of a woman half my age. Ha, ha, ha! With nettle, I get the last laugh on modern medicine.”

To make a nettle infusion: Measure out one ounce of the dried herb. Boil a quart of water. Put the dried herb into a quart jar and fill to the top with the boiling water. Stir with a wooden spoon and add water until the jar is full to the top. Lid tightly and set aside to brew for at least four hours, or overnight, whichever is easier for you.

To use: Strain and squeeze the liquid out of the herb. Be sure to refrigerate your infusion, as it will go bad at room temperature once it is done brewing. (If that happens, I use it as plant food. And you should see how my roses adore it!)

Nettle infusion is delicious over ice. Its rich green taste is not at its best when served hot. Adding honey can make it taste quite strange. Some folks like to add a little apple juice to sweeten it. Or stir in some miso, for a salty drink. However you consume it, do drink it up within a few days, as nettle infusion doesn’t last.